Plant Myb transcription factor homologs

Abstract

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a Myb-related transcription factor. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the Myb-related transcription factor, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the Myb-related transcription factor in a transformed host cell.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a first nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 12, and SEQ ID NO:56;    (b) a second nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8 and SEQ ID NO:28;    (c) a third nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 16;    (d) a fourth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 95% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 52;    (e) a fifth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO:50, and SEQ ID NO:58;    (f) a sixth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 60;    (g) a seventh nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:24, and SEQ ID NO:62;    (h) a eighth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 95% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 18 and SEQ ID NO:20;    (i) a ninth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 150 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 34, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:48, and SEQ ID NO:54;    (j) a tenth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 150 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 32, SEQ ID NO:44, and SEQ ID NO:46;    (k) an eleventh nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 200 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 36;    (l) a twelfth nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 200 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 30; and    (m) a thirteenth nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), or (l).    
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the isolated nucleotide sequence consists of a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 that codes for the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62.  
     
     
         3 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the nucleotide sequences are DNA.  
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the nucleotide sequences are RNA.  
     
     
         5 . A chimeric gene comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences.  
     
     
         6 . An isolated host cell comprising the chimeric gene of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . An isolated host cell comprising an isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  or  claim 3 .  
     
     
         8 . The isolated host cell of  claim 7  wherein the isolated host is selected from the group consisting of yeast, bacteria, plant, and virus.  
     
     
         9 . A virus comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a first seuqence of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 12, and SEQ ID NO:56;    (b) a second sequence of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8 and SEQ ID NO:28;    (c) a third sequence of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 16;    (d) a fourth sequence of at least 50 amino acids that has at least 95% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 52;    (e) a fifth sequence of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO:50, and SEQ ID NO:58;    (f) a sixth sequence of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 60;    (g) a seventh sequence of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:24, and SEQ ID NO:62;    (h) an eighth sequence of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 95% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 18 and SEQ ID NO:20;    (i) a ninth sequence of at least 150 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 34, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:48, and SEQ ID NO:54;    (j) a tenth sequence of at least 150 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 32, SEQ ID NO:44, and SEQ ID NO:46;    (k) an eleventh sequence of at least 200 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 36; and    (l) a twelfth sequence of at least 200 amino acids that has at least 85% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to SEQ ID NO: 30.    
     
     
         11 . A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a Myb-related transcription factor polypeptide in a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences;    (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide into a plant cell; and    (c) measuring the level of a polypeptide in the plant cell containing the polynucleotide to provide a positive selection means.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the isolated polynucleotide consists of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 that codes for the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62.  
     
     
         13 . A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a Myb-related transcription factor polypeptide in a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1;     (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide into a plant cell; and    (c) measuring the level of polypeptide in the plant cell containing the polynucleotide to provide a positive selection means.    
     
     
         14 . A method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a Myb-related transcription factor polypeptide comprising the steps of: 
 (a) synthesizing an oligonucleotide primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; and    (b) amplifying a nucleic acid sequence using the oligonucleotide primer.    
     
     
         15 . A method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a Myb-related transcription factor polypeptide comprising the steps of: 
 (a) probing a cDNA or genomic library with an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences;    (b) identifying a DNA clone that hybridizes with the isolated polynucleotide;    (c) isolating the identified DNA clone; and    (d) sequencing the cDNA or genomic fragment that comprises the isolated DNA clone.    
     
     
         16 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising at least one of 30 nucleotides derived from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, and the complement of such sequences.